This week at Smexy…

A review – The Unyielding by Shelly Laurenston (paranormal/tori)
B+ review – the Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole (historical/mandi)
B+ review – The Awakening by Amanda Stevens (paranormal horror/tori)
B review – After The Dark by Cynthia Eden (suspense/tori)
B- review – His Last Defense by Karen Rock (contemporary suspense/mandi)
C+ review- Bossed by Sloane Howell (contemporary/kini)
C- review – Bound Together (paranormal/tori)
D review – Meant For You by Michelle Major (contemporary/kini)

Smexy’s Top Ten
Mandi’s April To-Be-Read

News from Tori:

Buns by Alice Clayton is the creme de la creme of opposite attraction romances and had me giggling my buns off < See what I did there?  My review will post closer to release date.

Lucca by Sarah Brianne was far more serious than I anticipated and overall I was disappointed. It held none of the spark or energy that Nero and Vincent had. Chloe lost what little personality she had in here. Lucca absorbs her completely and treats her like she’s a stupid child.

Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders is an engaging and heart pinching erotic romance with two very interesting and damaged protagonists. Heavily character driven, I loved the bold sexuality that emerged from within the slow burning romance. The abuse storyline is handled well and I liked how Anders focused on Uma and her journey. I am looking forward to book two in the series which involves the Doctor who helps Uma.

Fade To Red by Willow Aster is a standalone though it is set in the same world as True Love Story with cameos from the hero and heroine of TLS. I enjoyed overall. The uncertainty of the romance works well with the dangerous stalker. At times the story and dialogue went a little campy and Astor drags out the narrative. Though the story has a HEA, there is a bit of a cliffhanger concerning the stalker. It was an odd way to end and I’m curious if Astor will be writing another story and couple to help close out that plotline.

King by Frankie Love is fun sexed up rom-com smut that requires very little thinking or commitment.

This weekend I’m reading I Dared The Duke by Anna Bennett.

News From Kini:

Hail Mary by Nicola Rendell– I picked this up on sale recently and finally read it. It was funny and cute and surprisingly emotional. The meet cute happens when the heroine and hero are boxing and she knocks him out. She ends up working for his football team and a love story begins. The niece was borderline plot moppet, but other than that I really enjoyed this story.

I finished listening to Didn’t I Warn You by Amber Barden. After she got me with King’s Captive, I am trying to work through her backlist. Bardan seems to thrive on writing the kind of kidnapped trope, but it is deeper and more than it seems. The HEA is dubious, thank you Sheena for letting me borrow that term.

I had to put the Maggie Wells book aside for some review books. I plan to pick it back up this week. I have a review book that I am about 20% at and it is leaning toward becoming a DNF for me. At this moment I am at 70% on the new one from Lia Riley, It Happened on Love Street and I really like it. With a heroine named Pepper and a hero named Rhett, there isn’t much not to love.

News from Mandi: Hurricane by Cherry Adair is a fast-paced romantic suspense, heavy on the smexy steam and action. The hero and heroine are divorced and reunite – there is a lot of pain in their past. I liked this, although the suspense towards the end was over the top. Review next week.

72 Hours by Bella Jewel really excited me when I read the blurb – two ex-lovers, kidnapped and dropped in a forest, told they have 72 hours before they will be killed. I was so disappointed in this book. The description of where they were lacked, the actions of the hero and heroine made no sense.  The hero is unlikable.  Review next week.

Next up for me is Back to Your Love by Kianna Alexander. I’ll report back!